MovieSwap – Crowd-based DVD Library

MovieSwap is new digital distribution service on Kickstarter right now that aims to turn your dusty DVD collection into an online library that you can share with anyone around the world.

how MovieSwap works

MovieSwap is a cloud-based, digital DVD sharing service. It’s a platform that will work similar to Neflix, Hulu, Amazont, etc. However, its library is created in part by the crowd. Members can send DVDs, they convert them into a digital format, then store them. When you watch, it will be exactly like watching the DVD, menus and all!

image by MovieSwap

Once registered, you can watch or share your movies. Want to watch a movie owned by another member? It works similar to Netflix. Browse, Watch, Repeat. Behind the scenes, you and that member will automatically exchange movies. This maintains the legal way for this digital platform to exist.

In this way, MovieSwap is very similar to a library. You can only “checkout” a title that is available and not being watched by another member. MovieSwap plans to offer as many different titles as possible, as well as having an optimized number of each copy. They’ve already collected over 200,000 movies to start.

The great thing is that they’ll be working on their end to provide a great experience for the customer, while the customer can contribute by sharing their collection. You’ll get rid of disks that may be cluttering your home as a bonus.

Some of the other rewards levels provide backers things like badges and stickers, or postcards. But you could also get a SwapStick, an HDMI stick (similar to the Roku) that connects directly to their service once you plug it into a TV.

image by MovieSwap

interesting considerations

MovieSwap is a great idea, and for 5 dollars, it’s hard not to chip in to see how the service will grow.

One thing that will be interesting is that all of this content is limited to DVD quality. Unlike other content providers who offer HD streaming with their services, MovieSwap will not go past standard definition for the time being. Even if you have a device with good up-scaling, it will be interesting to see the feedback general consumers will have that are used to crisper content.

MovieSwap states on their Kickstarter page that they will not be dealing with Blu-Rays for now.

Also, in the event you do send DVDs over to them, you won’t be getting them back. You can lock the digital versions to your account, or you can release them into the library to be swapped.

I look forward to seeing what this team can do as they amass thousands of DVDs from who knows what country. Members will have access to one of the most interesting, and potentially curated, movie experiences ever. Assuming it successfully funds, of course.

About the author

Matt Carter

Matt became a member of the Goopply team in 2015 and is our Senior Editor. While most of his duties entail making sure articles are edited properly, he also contributes content on things he finds personally interesting. In his time away from work, Matt enjoys card games, including designing his own, as well as birds and cats.